


if it's you, it's fine

by yueisms



Series: After You, My Master [15]
Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:02:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28280586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yueisms/pseuds/yueisms
Summary: EMIYA's used to distancing himself. Until he found himself caring.[Pre-Solomon Singularity]
Relationships: Heroic Spirit EMIYA | Archer & Fujimaru Ritsuka
Series: After You, My Master [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1480136
Kudos: 14





	if it's you, it's fine

**Author's Note:**

> I have never touched any of the medium Archer [EMIYA] appeared in besides FATE/EXTRA. So if his character seems off-base, I apologize.

Emiya remembers pretty well of when he got summoned to Chaldea. It was quite a foreign experience, and someone else had summoned along with him. An Assassin who seemed somehow familiar, but he couldn't tell why. It did _BECAME_ … clearer later on, but he tries not to think about it too much.

He remembers the look of his new Master, a young girl hardly an adult. Bright orange hair that could BEEN mistaken for a shade of red, with eye colors of a dull yellow. One of the things he noticed about his new Master was how she seemed full of curiosity and at the same time timid. She was… _kind of smaller_ than both of him and Assassin. 

Her name is Ritsuka Fujimaru, and in spite of her looks she's Japanese. Something strikes his chords. As something familiar of a scene back then in his previous life, but he tries to not think too much about it. Another thing that was noticeable about her, was her hands which had burn scars spread all over them. Even though she looked timid she looked upon him with _a smile, a grin wide ear to ear,_ a hand towards him and Assassin.

He takes her hand and she shakes it, and as he lets go, she goes towards Assassin as well, almost expecting the same. But Assassin stares at her, leaving her standing for a moment. Instead of getting upset or offended, she shrugs it off with cheery optimism that bounces off her. Her mood was what affected the atmosphere of the room itself. _He wondered if anything could get her down._

After introductions are done, he and Assassin are free to go for now. Rooms were being set up for them, as things were getting soon adjusted. Yet before that, a briefing of the situation was brought up, by a man in a lab’s coat who seemed to make him feel off the edge. There was something about him that didn’t make sense, and even after getting his name, Romani Archaman. Doctor and acting director of Chaldea. _Something didn’t sit right with him._

He brushes it off as Caster, Da Vinci spoke about it as well. He listened to the two of them speak on what was going on. His eyes wandered around the room and landed it on his new Master talking to a young girl with glasses. The two of them were in a quiet conversation between themselves. 

For a moment he thought as if it were two schoolgirls gossiping away. Yet not all things are what it seems, as the young girl with glasses was a Servant. Or rather a Demi-servant, a term comes in passing during the explanation by the man in the lab coat and Caster. He wondered, what in the world did he get himself into now, as he took in every bit of information. 

Humanity incinerated, leaving only Chaldea in a small bubble besides nothing besides it. There were other Masters besides Ritsuka, but each one of them was in crypto freeze. All 47 Masters, besides her. The more he absorbed this information the more, he felt frustrated by all this. To add more salt in the wound, his new Master was hardly a mage, yet, she was the one shouldering the burden. Of trying to get back the world into its place.

He looked toward his companion of the moment and even if he couldn’t see their face. He felt that they were too unamused, somehow a bit disgruntled by this whole situation. He mulled over this information, and looked back to his Master, who noticed him, _giving him a smile._

He might as well make the best of it, for now.

* * *

There were many, many different Servants that got summoned to Chaldea. The amount of them was mind boggling, but it became something he had gotten used to, for now. When they spoke about her Master potential, Emiya had thought they were joking at first. But it was the truth, as he saw her hang around with many Servants, or many that roamed the halls of Chaldea. Even if so many of them were talking to her at once, she gave each of them her undivided attention.

It was something he had to get accustomed to, that his Master had others besides him. Even in spite of that, she still made the time to talk to him and focus her attention to him as well. It must be exhausting and tiring to do all that, to communicate to that many numbers of Servants. But what was most unbelievable was that she didn’t mind it at all. She listened to each one of them, to their thoughts, opinions or whatever they had on their mind. 

There had to be exceptions, and there were. She had assigned certain hours where Servants were to talk to her, and she enforced them with an iron fist. A surprise to him, as she didn't seem to be the type to do that. But as he later learned, she had a limit when it came to socializing with others. She took her time away from her Servants to isolate herself from others. During these times, she'd be somewhere he couldn't find her, without the help of Mash.

There were times Emiya did find her by himself by accident. Accident, that is. He remembers the mortified look she had when he walks into the doctor's office wanting to ask that doctor about something, only to find his Master curled up in the corner. He could only blink as he tried to find his voice only for her to raise a gesture of silence to her lips. She looked… embarrassed as tears were rolling down her cheeks. He wanted to say something but at the moment he couldn't, as he pressed his lips together and looked the other way. 

" _Thanks_." Is what she said in a tiny voice as he leaves the room. It befuddled him as to why she would say thanks to him, as he left her alone to cry. It still would to this day.

Another time is when he literally trips over her in the library. This is by any means an accident, and he didn't mean to fall over her, well on her. The girl was sitting on the floor, for goodness's sake. He was taking his time to look through the shelves, running his hands through the spines of the book when inevitably one way or another, he fell over something or someone. It's the latter, unfortunately, and he hears a small squeal.

From his unsuspecting Master of all people.

He had every right to look embarrassed as he gets up. Master was sprawled on the floor with a confused look on her face, thankfully not unconscious. This scene was… somehow odd if anyone passed by, so as he reached his hand out towards her, the girl took his hand with a groan.

" _Sorry_." She says and he blinks. Why was she apologizing to him, when he's the one that's supposed to? But before he gets to say anything, she speaks in a low voice. "Don't tell anyone I was here alright?" 

She leaves in a flash leaving him there amongst fallen books and Emiya could only stare at her retreating back.

His Master was weird, unconventional and when often she liked to not be seen when she got the chance. So he tried to keep it that way, as she liked. Then sometimes even if he tried to do that, she, Ritsuka rather, on the other hand surprised him more than once. She was essentially the element of surprise.

When it became apparent that she wanted to be alone, Emiya would go the other way and often if he could avoid her. It became a habit as he observed her entreat to a place where she'd spend her time alone. So gradually, he would sidestep everyplace and avoid them.

Then in the training room when he accidentally comes across her sitting in the adjacent corner of the room, he turns around heading out.

Her voice stops him from leaving however, " _Oh, if it's Archer, then it's fine._ " She continues. "You don't need to leave. If it's you, then I'm fine with you around."

He looks back at her with surprise written on his face but seeing her nod in confirmation, he stands still where he is. "Well, if you're alright with me, M-."

"Call me Ritsuka."

"Right. If it's fine with you, Ritsuka then I'll stay here."

* * *

He knew aside from missions and rayshifts that there was still so much to do in Chaldea. Which included divided duties of who did what. Of course, it's never asked of the Servants to do any of the chores but it's something that's there. But never spoken about. Emiya doesn't mind cleaning or minding anyone once a while. As he would not like to admit to anyone but he didn't mind putting in help when needed.

He later learns that that kitchen runs on a daily shift schedule, someone new cooking every other day. He wonders why no one ever asked him to take on a shift. Then again, it’s not like he actually said anything about being able to cook in the first place... So, he supposes lack of communication from his side of things. Which leads him to seek out anyone who knows how to get into the flow of things. 

Which leads him to speak to the staff of Chaldea, Doctor Romani, and Da Vinci. Each of them didn't give an answer, but only pointed towards Ritsuka. He couldn't help but puzzle over why his Master was the one in charge with the shifts of kitchen duties. Didn't she have enough things to do? Well, it's not like he could try and ask her not to do it... so he decides to seek Ritsuka out, when she's free.

One day he does, he comes into the cafeteria to find Ritsuka surrounded by some Servants. She looked annoyed, her hands up in front of her trying to wave them off. But it seems his fellow Servants were persistent for some reason. One of them is an Assassin with long dark hair who spoke up. “Come on Master, at least once, try cooking for us! I’ve seen you look at cook-books too, and you got some skills in you!” A chorus of agreements from the other Servants came up. He blinks in surprise, were they asking her to cook for them?

He looked upon her face and her body language. It was clear she was very uncomfortable pressured to cook for them. Her voice shrank. “I said, I’m not that great at cooking, you guys! Sheesh, what’d got this idea into you!?” This didn’t seem to deter them, which came along with more pleas. Seeing how she looked like she didn’t want to, he walked towards them with the intention to intervene. Yet again, she surprised him as she sighed. "Okay, okay, I’ll cook only this once for dinner. Now stop bothering your Master!" 

Excited cheers were given in replies. They all immediately separated, leaving her alone. Ritsuka gave a sigh of relief and a look of affection was on her face. Yet, he noticed she began to twiddle with her fingers as she looked up to the clock. Despite agreeing, it didn’t seem like her heart was set into it. Emiya decided to come near her curious about why she accepted even though she didn’t seem into it. 

“Hey Master, I saw what happened.”

“Oh, did you? Man, I don’t know how they got the idea of me cooking would be a good idea.”

His eyebrows raised at her statement, but she didn’t seem to want to offer more than what she said. So he keeps quiet. 

“Alright, I guess I have to prepare for dinner. I’ll be cooking for everyone. Excuse me Archer.”

She leaves the cafeteria and he watches her retreating back. Wondering why would she even agree when she didn’t seem to like the idea in the first place? Emiya wasn’t the type to meddle but he was curious. So, a little before dinner time. He showed up in the kitchen where Ritsuka was getting out all the ingredients. She didn’t mind his presence, although she gave a confused look a few times, as his eyes wandered around. He was itching to do something, but he decided to control himself. 

This was Ritsuka’s stage, at the very moment. 

As she sets aside the ingredients, which… seems to be for a full course meal, really. Side dish, main dish and dessert. Was she really planning to make all this? Then there was some hesitation as she seemed to be staring at the cutting board in front of her. Maybe him being there made her uncomfortable? 

“I’ll leave if you want-”

“It’s fine… it’s that, I don’t cook for others.” She interrupts him mid-sentence. “I can cook and bake, but… I don’t like doing it for others.”

He blinked. That seemed a bit unreasonable. “Why’s that?”

She looked down for a moment, debating what to tell him, then she sighed. “I don’t have any confidence my food will taste good to others.”

Oh. That was a sentiment he could understand very well, actually. Not having the confidence to think your cooking will be good for others. He could see why Ritsuka was uncomfortable earlier that day. So, he tried to treat the topic with some delicacy, if he could. “Master, you won’t know unless you try your best at it, and show everyone what you got.” 

He wasn’t the best at using words, encouraging nonetheless, but it was worth a try. It worked, much to his relief as Ritsuka looked at him with a smile. “Yeah, I’ll try to do that. Now, let’s get to work.” 

He left the kitchen, although it was more of Ritsuka pushing him out by force. Something about it has to be a surprise for everyone which includes him. Well, he supposes she was right. 

When the time came, the cafeteria was a bit packed. Full of Servants and staff who were curious what Ritsuka had in store. He as well, but he tried to remain neutral about the whole event. Soon, the dinner was unveiled to the hungry people. It was well thought out, catered to everyone's tastes, likes and dislikes.

Dinner was served and Emiya had a taste of his Master’s cooking. Despite Ritsuka's initial reservations and fears, it didn’t taste bad. It tasted good. He wasn’t the only one who thought that way, either, as others expressed the same thing. Most of the comments that were spoken out loud were positive. Others complimented on her cooking. After he finished eating, he looked for her, curious to see if she heard.

She hadn’t come out from the kitchen from what he heard, which was confusing. Deciding to check on her, he found her on her knees, near the cabinets and she was crying. She was crying and he felt at loss, unsure what exactly to do. Before he could say anything, Ritsuka looked up with surprise in her eyes, trying to wipe her tears away.

"What happened?" 

The words slipped out without him thinking and she looked at him, trying to figure out what to say. 

"When... everyone started talking about how good my cooking was, I got so overwhelmed." She laughs, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "It's kind of silly, but I didn't expect that at all."

His eyebrows raised. "Why not?"

She gulped as she wiped her tears, trying to form words. "Back at my home, I always cooked and baked, but... my parents and my sister were never around to try my food. Whenever I told them I cooked something for them, they were too busy or dismissed the idea I could cook. It was always rejected." 

The redhead looked down on the floor. "Sometimes, they'd told me to drop the subject of me cooking altogether. Because they didn't believe that I was doing it, and they thought I was lying."

_She laughs, but he wasn't._ Emiya wasn't laughing, as his face was set into a stony frown. She didn't notice as she continued. "It's my first time cooking for others, or well first time for anyone willing to try what I made. So, it felt nice. Although here I am crying on the floor, because I got so overwhelmed."

Biting his lips, he perched down to Ritsuka’s level, and began to speak. “Here’s what I think M-, _no Ritsuka._ Your cooking is wonderful and should be appreciated. You shouldn’t have gotten rejected for trying your best or to show what you could do. You of all people don’t deserve that.” _Especially you. He doesn’t say that out loud yet._

“Now come on up, I’m sure everyone wants to speak to the chef.” His hands towards her, Ritsuka shook her head a bit jerkily in agreement and got up. “There’s also one more thing... ”

“What’s that?”

“About the kitchen duty, I don’t mind taking on one of the shifts.” He smiles at Ritsuka’s surprise. “I don’t mind cooking once in a while, so, if there’s any free shifts, let me know.”

She gave a confused nod and under her breath as she walked out of the kitchen, " _Archer can cook?_ "

He rolled his eyes. _This Master of his…_

* * *

“Can’t you explain again, but more slowly this time? You know like explaining to a five years old, or something!”

"Haaah, again? I already explained this more than twice already, Master!"

This was an startling conversation to walk in, Emiya muses, as he walked inside the room. The scene in front of him was even more amusing, as his Master was pouting.

She was sitting down with two Caster-class Servants. Who seemed to be trying to jam some at least basic knowledge of magecraft into her. Although, from his perspective, it didn't seem to be going very well.

He cleared his throat, "Am I interrupting anything?"

Ritsuka seemed to immediately jump out of her seat seeing him, only for her to get pulled back down Cu. "And where exactly do you think you're going, Master?"

"The session isn't over yet, so stay still, Master." This time Medea spoke up with a rather pointed look towards Ritsuka, who seemed to shrink into her seat.

"... I didn't get an answer."

"No, you aren't! I'm forced to sit here in absolute torment by Cu and Medea here, as they try to force Magecraft into my head."

"And how is exactly that going?"

"Er, I can understand some concepts- I don't seem to grasp most of the ideas …"

Sighs came from both of the Casters. His Master could only look down at the table in some kind of embarrassment and even… _shame_.

For a moment, he thinks of intervening, but before he could, Cu clears his throat. "What part was it that you didn't get, again?"

He supposes he didn't have to, as the three of them began to chatter away, hand gestures and so forth. He continued to watch from the side, until Dr. Romani came in.

"Oh whoa, I didn't think you'd be here, Archer!" The man looks surprised, then turns to the group huddled away in conversation. "Ritsuka, you have to get going to your next class! Sorry to take her away from you guys, but she needs to get going!"

His eyebrows furrowed and he looked at Ritsuka, as she got up from the table.

"You have classes here?"

"Oh, huh? Yeah. Well, I would call them more or less very intensive sessions that're supposed to help me in some way."

"It's supposed to _help_ you Ritsuka-chan, that's why we have them!" The doctor retorts, and then turns to Emiya. "Well, in short it's supplementary lessons to give Ritsuka more insight as a Mage and Master. Well, in fact, why don't watch the next one she'll attend?" 

“ _Can I?_ ”

"I don't mind!"

He ends up following her to the next room, where he watched from the back. This time Mash has joined Ritsuka, as the two of them huddle together behind a table. The session was about strategy, and the two of them were writing away in flurry. It was _strange_ to see how the two of them in tandem focused and paid attention to the Servant's every word.

He wondered if these sessions were of any use to her, but when Ritsuka raised her hand and spoke out loud. He supposed he was wrong to assume anything. "Chiron, if I wanted to use Leonidas's Noble Phantasm, would it be a good idea if..." It became a rather lengthy discussion. With Chiron drawing out more of Ritsuka's ideas on a whiteboard. He watched for a while, then soon leaving the room- to only bump into the doctor once again.

"Oh, whoa, hey there Archer!" A small grin on his face while looking somewhat embarrassed. He leaned sideways to peer at Ritsuka who was still in a continuous discussion with Chiron. While Mash was writing everything down. "It seems like things are doing well here, hm? That's good enough for me."

"Did you come to check up on her or something?"

"Mhmm! Oh right!" He exclaims. "Archer, how would you feel about teaching a class?"

"...Me?"

"Yep! Of course you won't be teaching it alone, it'll be with some other Archers."

“... Sure, I’ll do it.”

He wasn’t quite sure why he agreed in the first place, but he felt compelled to do it. Seeing his Master work hard and do her best, made him want to contribute in some way or another. Even if it’s little it counts as something, he supposes.

At the doctor’s lead, he's led to another room, where inside was another Archer, the Servant Atalanta. She regarded him with cool curiosity, and listened as the doctor explained what was going on. Once the man left, the two of them left alone in silence. It was Atalanta who broke it, “Have you any ideas about what this class is about?”

“Something about… training on the frontlines?”

“That’d be correct. Master spoke of wanting to feel prepared on the frontlines as long with certain stratagems to do so.”

“... that’s an odd thing to be concerned about.” He mutters, but the two of them set to work on how the training would go. It led to a long discussion, with ideas thrown in and out. Other Archer class Servants came in to give their input. Somehow with all the chaotic mess with all them discussing how it’d work, it wasn’t quite finished. They all decided that it was best to improvise as they went along the way, and Emiya supposes it wasn't a bad idea.

He left the room to head to his private room. It was on the way when he came across Ritsuka and Mash talking in the hallways. It was a private conversation, for sure, but the redhead spoke loud enough for him to hear.

“I was thinking since I pretty much suck at being a mage besides summoning... it’d be helpful that I could at least do better in supporting everyone in battles. So, I’d know what to do when an overwhelming situation happens, and I could overturn it! What do you think of it, Mash?”

The two had walked further away before he could hear Mash’s reply and he stood still at where he was. He couldn’t help but shake his head in some awe. His Master of his went so far. To do all this to understand how to understand a battle works to support everyone in battles. There was something astonishing about it, that he couldn’t help but smile.

* * *

"I'm telling you, I'm fine! Stop worrying over me already!" 

It came from a rather high-strung voice from the doctor's office, and Emiya couldn't help but blink at the tone. Curious about what exactly was going on, he walked on inside. Only to find his Master having a cast and many bandages all over her. He stopped in his tracks immediately and stared, mouth open wide.

The doctor and Mash looked away from Ritsuka to look up at him in surprise. While Ritsuka herself gave a sheepish grin. Yet, he didn’t smile back at her, with his fist clenched tight and _he felt furious._ In fact furious couldn’t possibly describe the feelings he felt right now, seeing her injured. It was much more than that. But he couldn’t properly put it into words or into feelings. 

“ _What happened?_ ” It sounded like a croak, and he couldn’t seem to tell it came from him. He was bewildered for a moment, as he tried again. “What happened?”

Before Ritsuka gets to respond, Mash answers for her. “A monster got behind our line of sight and got to her… If only I noticed sooner...”

“Like I said before Mash, you can’t blame yourself! It’s no one’s fault! I was just not aware of my surroundings!”

“You say that and then you brush it off like you’re fine! When you clearly aren’t!”

“Hey that’s uncalled for!”

“Both of you need to stop!” The doctor spoke up, and the two of them looked down ashamedly. “And Ritsuka, you’re getting bed rest until your injuries recover.”

“But Doctor what about the next...”

“We’re still in the process of searching for the Singularity, so you can take a rest to recover and get back to your best self, alright?” 

“ _Fine_.” 

She looked half defeated and half annoyed, which he thought that she had no right to be in her condition. His emotions were still stirring, and he couldn’t seem to pinpoint _why_ . He was so _frustrated_ by not being able to be at her side when it occurred, because maybe, he could have prevented it. Then again, how would he know that? It’s seemingly impossible to have prevented something he wouldn’t know would happen.

He couldn’t see the future and he felt helpless. Gritting his teeth, he stared at the wall, anger still seeping through him.

“Archer? Is something the matter?”

Ritsuka's voice snaps him back into reality and he looks back at her. Her eyes look at him piercingly, but he doesn't reply, only to nod his head.

"My apologies, I was distracted."

She stares at him and he looks back at her, taking in the bandages and cast. It seemed that she has been through a lot, yet _she_ didn't seem to act that way. She was smiling. Yet he noticed how her smile seemed too wide, stretched thin, as if she was trying to hide the pain she was in.

She was pretending _to be okay,_ when it was clear to him, she wasn't. That made him feel more _distressed,_ more than before.

"If you say so, Archer!"

In her bouts of silliness, it was as if she was trying to fool, deceive even, everyone that none of her injuries were bothering her whatsoever. That _she was fine._

When it was clear to him, his Master _was not fine in the slightest._

It made him uncomfortable.

He moves his gaze towards the doctor. "Well, is she going to stay here for the mean-while?"

"Oh no, she's going to be resting in her room. It's more ideal for her to be in her private quarters than here." Roman pulled out a wheelchair from a corner of the office. "Ritsuka-chan, you feel ready to go?"

A slight grimace appears on her face, but it's gone as she smiles, nodding. The girl is placed into the wheelchair, and before he knew it, he spoke without thinking.

"I'll take you to your room, Master."

"Huh? But I can wheel it myself!"

"This … is a personal request of mine."

"You can be so strange sometimes, Archer … _fine!_ "

With that turn of events, he pushes the wheelchair in the hallways of Chaldea. For some reason, it was empty and quiet, idyllic even. It didn't make sense, as the usual would be filled up with Servants wandering or maybe a staff or two walking by.

But, it was only the two of them in that empty hallway. Emiya didn't speak, nor did Ritsuka, as the two of them continued in silence.

When he finally reached her room, that silence broke, as Ritsuka reached forwards the keypad and the doors opened.

"Thanks for coming all this way Archer." She pauses as she looks at him, with a smile. "I mean it."

With that she wheels herself into her room, leaving the taller man outside. He didn't bother to follow her inside, and watched as the doors closed. He stood there quietly, as he turned around.

"It wasn't even anything… worth to be thanked for."

His hand was curled into a fist, but he released it. As long, he's here, Emiya muses, he'll be there to protect her next time.

* * *

Ritsuka was _screaming._

She screamed so hard, her throat was raw, her voice was broken. She clutched onto the bare remaining clothing he had on him.

Her screams turned into sobs, as she began to hit at his chest albeit weakly. How could this happen? 

It was simply a stake out mission, nothing too big, nothing too flashy. But not everything always goes that way, not everything always goes according to plans, to her decisions. She _hates_ it when that happens, when everything crumbles apart.

“ _Archer, come on, stay with me!_ ” She was getting desperate, holding onto him-, but his eyes were distant and so far away. He was still standing, but he was not steady, not one bit. He was a bit unstable, and she cursed her bad luck. She cursed everything that seemed to be dooming her to failure.

But before she could fall into even more despair, before she could cry more tears that she already had cried, losing her grip on the situation, someone’s voice had called out to her. It was Mash, holding onto the last defense. 

“Master, _your commands!_ ” 

Her voice was strained, her breathing was heavy, and Ritsuka still realized how precarious their situation was still. Right now, she had no time to focus on Archer, as much as it pained her to do so. She had to focus on the task at hand. 

Even, if one of her Servants, no not comrade… Archer was more than just that. Her friend was _down._ She wiped her tears, nodding at Mash and her other Servants who were still in combat.

Prying her eyes away from Archer was now fading away into the shadows, golden dust as he evaporated, she looked upon the enemies that surrounded her. She had to utilize her judgement and find the possible way to beat all of them, or even escape them. The girl grit her teeth in annoyance, as she chewed on her nail.

_It was either all out or nothing._

She breathed in and then exhaled. Right now, Ritsuka had to focus. “Mash, defend me, everyone else flank the enemy from their left side!”

“ _Right!_ ”

* * *

The process of getting revived back at Chaldea isn’t the most ideal as effective as it was. It was a strange process to witness and at times to be revived in the first place was not something to be getting used to. Especially for Archer, as he never thought that much far into his career of… being revived. 

It was something not as conceivable to him and it was _so_ strange. Would there be ever a time… where he really actually leaves for real? He doesn’t have time to think about that however, as he finally converts back to normal. He’s standing still in the workshop, blinking, as he looks down at himself. Flexing his fingers, he mutters to himself. “As it seems, I’m still _alive_.”

“That’s rather an _understatement_ of a lifetime.”

He looked forward, where he saw Ritsuka. Her lips were pressed in a thin line, eyes puffed up from _crying._ His guilt ate away at him and he wasn’t sure what to say to her. If it was a different time, he’d be dismissive of her and move on. Yet, things are different. A lot of things were different ever since he had been summoned to Chaldea, ever since he’s been summoned to serve and help her.

It was weird that he felt like he couldn’t say anything back to her, as her eyes bore into his. He had to really consider his words carefully, but he was at a loss for what to say. Before he could bring up any words to speak, it’s Ritsuka who speaks up. It’s her who takes the lead of the conversation. It’s her that’s in charge of his welfare among others. _It’s her that’s carrying the burden of the world on her shoulders._

“What were you _thinking?_ ” Her voice is heavy, strained and she continues. “You weren’t supposed to do that, _you were supposed to follow the plan._ ”

He breathes in and then exhales. “I wanted to do it.”

“ _Haaaah?_ ” 

“There isn’t an actual reason behind it. I did it because at that time, my body moved on it’s own.” He looks to the side. “I _couldn’t_ just leave you to be attacked.”

“That’s… that’s… _stupid of you!_ ” She bristled, shaking like a leaf under his gaze. Her eyes on the ground, while her hands trembled. “You didn’t even need to-”

“ _I didn’t need to?_ Well, that’s true.” His eyes narrowed, but he breathed and took a deep sigh. “But I decided at that moment… _because..._ ”

Because of what? What possible reason did he have to sacrifice himself for a stranger? No. Actually in fact, she wasn’t much of a stranger was she? She was no longer much of a stranger in his mind. She was no longer _just_ his Master. She wasn’t just going to be _a_ Master he serves.

Ritsuka was _much more than that._

Because he cared for her enough to protect her.

“ _It isn’t worth saving the world if you were hurt in its place._ ”

The words spilled out and he fumbled, covering his mouth after the words spilled out of him. She gasped in surprise, her gaze looking up at him. Once again, he was reminded as many times before, how small she is and how her eyes were of the dullest yellow. Those eyes that must have shone innocently before. 

There’s silence hanging between the two of them. 

He clears his throat. “I really mean what I said.”

“Archer...”

“Call me Emiya. You deserve at least that, Ritsuka. You deserve many things, and even if it’s something small, it’s something you at least of all people deserve.”

There were no words to be said after that, it seems. In fact, it doesn’t seem to be a point of saying more, as Ritsuka walked towards him. He in turn, held his hand out towards her, only for her to instead embrace him.

Well, that was fine too.

  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> I've been plagued by this one-shot for so long of wanting to explore EMIYA and Ritsuka :clenches fist: ALSO I wanted to explore more sides to EMIYA besides him being the in-game mom joke trope they set him up to be.
> 
> Feel free to yell at me on twitter @chaldeas! Leave kudos and comments, they'll make my day.


End file.
